Contact email: mesreads AT gmail.com
###Winner Announcement Posts are linked here.###

GIVEAWAYS ARE NOW LOCATED ON THEIR OWN PAGE - CLICK ON TAB ABOVE; Giveaways also linked on right sidebar.
Showing posts with label Great Escape Blog Tours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Great Escape Blog Tours. Show all posts

Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Book Review and Tour Giveaway: King Harald's Snow Job by Richard Audry

This is a fun, easy mystery read.
King Harald's Snow Job 
(King Harald Mysteries Book 3)
by Richard Audry
Cozy Mystery
3rd in Series
Conger Road Press (August 1, 2017)
Paperback: 302 pages
ISBN-13: 978-0985019686
E-Book ASIN: B0747QWYLZ
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35842967-king-harald-s-snow-job
Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0


It’s early December and Andy Skyberg is itching to blow town for a weekend of holiday cheer with old friends—including a date with an attractive divorcĂ©e who thinks he's hot.
But first, Aunt Bev needs a teensy bit of help. She’s managing the Girls’ Weekend Out event at the Beaver Tail Resort and could use some extra muscle. Andy figures he can spare a few hours before hitting the road.
Mother Nature, though, has other plans. A giant blizzard makes an unexpected turn. Andy and his pooch King Harald find themselves snowbound—in a hotel full of hard-partying women, stranded travelers, a hockey team, a man-eating novelist, a belligerent blogger, and one violent, devious jewel thief.
Before you know it, man and mutt are up to their noses in another case. It’s a winter wonderland of fast-paced fun and merry madness, as the sleuthing duo dig out from King Harald’s Snow Job.


Review:
King Harald is a big, ginger mutt. Sorry I am not quite sure what type of dog, but he is very sweet and fun. He really cares for his master, Andy, but isn’t beyond slipping away on occasion. Andy is a 40-year-old artist and temporary mayor of his small town. He is divorced and looking to spend the weekend with his guy friends and then a dinner and concert date with a nice woman who is also divorced.

Andy’s Aunt Bev calls him in to help her at an event she is overseeing at a nearby resort. Harald is uncomfortable leaving home but can’t communicate his reluctance to Andy. Andy is willing to pitch in to help not realizing that they will get snowed in and have to deal with a jewel theft.

There is plenty of animosity towards the theft victim, a popular author, as she is not a very sympathetic character. Andy adds several suspects to his list, but he seems to be barking up the wrong tree. Harald doesn’t exactly do any great sleuthing -- except to track down another dog when directed to -- but he manages to get involved in the heist by accident.

I liked the many different suspects who had been treated poorly by the author as she pushed herself to fame. I expected more sleuthing by Harald but still enjoyed his parts in the story. It sounded like he might have been more involved in the first two books. As a third in the series, this book still read fine as a standalone.

This is light, fun and clean; easy reading that I found very enjoyable. The story is told in third person mostly from Andy’s viewpoint but sometimes from Harald’s which is fun. They have a nice, affectionate relationship. I appreciated that Andy is a gentleman who cares about the ladies beyond just male interest. This is a very nice light cozy mystery that would be good to curl up with on a cold, snowy day.

I received this book from the author for review through Great Escape Tours.


About The Author –

 
Richard Audry is the pen name of D. R. Martin. In addition to his career as a journalist and copywriter, D. R. has written a dozen books, both fiction and non-fiction. His current projects include a fantasy adventure trilogy, a canine cozy mystery series, and historical mysteries set at the turn of the last century.

TOUR PARTICIPANTS
November 1 - Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – COZY WEDNESDAY
November 2 - Celticlady's Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
November 3 – Island Confidential – INTERVIEW
November 4 – A Holland Reads – GUEST POST
November 5 – Cozy Up With Kathy – REVIEW
November 6 – Back Porchervations - REVIEW
November 6 – Queen of All She Reads - SPOTLIGHT
November 6 – View from the Birdhouse – SPOTLIGHT
November 7 – Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf – REVIEW
November 7 – Brooke Blogs – SPOTLIGHT
November 8 – FUONLYKNEW – REVIEW
November 8 – Laura's Interests – SPOTLIGHT
November 9 – A Blue Million Books – INTERVIEW
November 10 – My Reading Journeys – REVIEW
November 11 – Lisa Ks Book Reviews - REVIEW, INTERVIEW
November 12 – StoreyBook Reviews – GUEST POST

TOUR GIVEAWAY

Ends 11/12/2017
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tuesday, March 14, 2017

Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Elementary, She Read: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery

I enjoyed this fun, detail-filled mystery.
Elementary, She Read: A Sherlock Holmes Bookshop Mystery
by Vicki Delany

Print Length: 320 pages
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books (March 14, 2017)
ASIN: B01MT6H7O1
Genre: Cozy Mystery
My Rating: 4.5 of 5.0


Gemma Doyle, a transplanted Englishwoman, has returned to the quaint town of West London on Cape Cod to manage her Great Uncle Arthur's Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium. The shop--located at 222 Baker Street--specializes in the Holmes canon and pastiche, and is also the home of Moriarty the cat. When Gemma finds a rare and potentially valuable magazine containing the first Sherlock Homes story hidden in the bookshop, she and her friend Jayne (who runs the adjoining Mrs. Hudson's Tea Room) set off to find the owner, only to stumble upon a dead body.

The highly perceptive Gemma is the police’s first suspect, so she puts her consummate powers of deduction to work to clear her name, investigating a handsome rare books expert, the dead woman's suspiciously unmoved son, and a whole family of greedy characters desperate to cash in on their inheritance. But when Gemma and Jayne accidentally place themselves at a second murder scene, it's a race to uncover the truth before the detectives lock them up for good.

Fans of Sherlock Holmes will delight in the sleuthing duo of Gemma and Jayne in Elementary, She Read, the clever and captivating series debut by nationally bestselling author Vicki Delany.


Review:
Gemma is an Englishwoman living in West London, Cape Cod. She helps her Great Uncle by managing his Bookshop and Emporium and assisting with the next door tea room of her friend, Jayne. The bookshop does not often have rare, first edition Sherlock books but it has a good collection of knick-knacks featuring the famous detective and his stories.

The shop is filled with a tour group when a strange woman slips in and out. Gemma is the type who is extremely observant of people and situations. She noticed the woman and after the store cleared she discovers what might be a valuable early Sherlock magazine that was tucked in one of the bookshelves. Gemma doesn’t understand why the woman left the item and, finding a clue to the woman’s lodging, Gemma drags Jayne along to the hotel to return the magazine. When they knock on the door, Gemma steps in to find the woman dead!

Gemma manages to assess the crime scene before being removed with a bit of suspicion focused on her for being there. The officers sent to the crime scene turn out to be a detective, Ryan, she has a past with, and his new partner who immediately suspects Gemma. Gemma isn’t convinced that the police will do a proper investigation, especially since they are focusing on her. In spite of objections to her involvement, Gemma sets out on her own investigation of the family drama behind the rare magazine. Needless to say, Gemma has an eye for detail and a nosey bent that gets her into trouble.

I greatly enjoyed Gemma’s obsession with detail, even as it might drive some people nuts. The author carries the detail well in settings and crime clues. There are a couple of suspects and even Gemma misses a clue or two until it is almost too late. I enjoyed the tone of the story and the deductive reasoning with Jayne adding a bit now and then, - very reminiscent of Sherlock and Watson. (There is even a character named Moriarty who doesn't like Gemma.)  I enjoyed the hint of chemistry between Gemma and Ryan and have hopes for more of that to develop in future books.

The writing moves along well, even with the compulsive details. I found the read to be quick, fun and engaging. I highly recommend this to readers who enjoy Sherlock Holmes mysteries, enjoy attention to detail and like cozy mysteries.

I received this title from NetGalley for Great Escapes Book Blog Tours. It qualifies for 2017 NetGalley Challenge and "E" on Alphabet Soup Challenge.


Read the first chapter here.
 
Vicki Delany is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers. She is the author of twenty-three published crime novels, including standalone Gothic thrillers, the Constable Molly Smith series, and the Year Round Christmas Mysteries. Under the pen name of Eva Gates she is the national bestselling author of the Lighthouse Library cozy series.


Vicki lives and writes in Prince Edward County, Ontario. She is the past president of the Crime Writers of Canada.


Purchase Links

Amazon B&N

GIVEAWAY: 
One Print Copy, US. Only
Ends 3/26/17.
a Rafflecopter giveaway


TOUR PARTICIPANTS found HERE

Tuesday, March 15, 2016

Book Review and Tour Giveaway: Those Who Walk In Darkness (Jacks Jackson Mystery Book 1) by Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene

I enjoyed this engaging mystery with good characters.
Those Who Walk In Darkness (Jacks Jackson Mystery Book 1)
by Joyce Lavene and Jim Lavene

File Size: 669 KB
Print Length: 282 pages
Publisher: J. Lavene (March 8, 2016)
ASIN: B01AS8NN6Q
Genre: Historical Mystery
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0


Three years ago in 1867, Julia Jackson was a well to do young woman from Boston whose fiancĂ©, Jonathon, was killed right before her eyes. Obsessed with finding the killer, a man whose face she saw only in a flash as he walked up and shot Jonathon, she leaves her family and her life behind. She starts a new life as ‘Jacks’ Jackson—a cigar smoking, dead eye, female Pinkerton agent…pretending to be a man.
Now Allan Pinkerton needs Jacks to find the man who kidnapped the wife and son of a railroad official, David Boyd. Their only clues are the severed finger from the man’s wife, complete with wedding ring, and a map of the Qualla boundary, the Cherokee reservation in North Carolina.
Jacks doesn’t like the way the whole thing sounds from the beginning. David Boyd isn’t important enough to target for a kidnapping. And why travel so far with two hostages?
But Pinkerton tells her that he believes the man responsible for the kidnapping worked with Jonathon’s murderer in a train robbery five years ago. Jacks agrees to go after the kidnapper with hopes of catching him before he can reach his home grounds.
Pinkerton insists that Jacks bring three men with her—Boyd, her new partner, and a Cherokee guide named Running Wolf, who’s always watching her, like he’s trying to figure it out.
Can Jacks catch the kidnapper with her secret—and her life—intact?


Review:
Julia Jackson was on the way to her wedding when her fiancĂ© was murdered at her feet. No one could help her locate the murderer so she took matters into her own hands by going undercover as a male Pinkerton agent. Three years later she is known as the highly successful and brash Agent “Jacks” Jackson.

Jacks is assigned to pursue a Cherokee Indian who has kidnapped the wife and son of railroad official, David Boyd. Jacks prefers not to work with a partner but young Davey Hume has been paired with her. To make matters worse, Boyd insists on going along the journey and Pinkerton has also assigned a Cherokee guide, Running Wolf.

The four begin the trip from Chicago to North Carolina, following the kidnapper’s trail. Soon it appears that the kidnapper is taunting them, sending bloody fingers from Boyd’s wife, and leaving dead bodies in the towns where they stop. Running Wolf looks intently at Jacks as though he sees through her. He tries to convince Jacks to delve deeper into the facts because things are not always as they first appear.

I have long been fascinated by stories of Pinkerton agents and it is fun when the agents are women. Jacks is a good character with determination – even if it is for the negative emotion of revenge. I liked Running Wolf’s intense character and his attitude and determination to ‘rescue’ Jacks from her own obsession. I liked the spirit elements, consistent with Native American teachings, that were woven into the mystery.

The story jumped right into action and kept my interest to the end. I enjoyed the characters, the mystery and the good movement of the story. The writing flows well and is an easy read. Although the mystery is resolved, I was a little bit disappointed that there were loose threads at the end. Then again - this leaves an opening for another good installment. I recommend this to readers who enjoy a good mystery in a historical setting.

I received this through Great Escape Book Tours for an honest review. This qualifies for T on my Alphabet Soup Challenge.
 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Joyce and Jim Lavene write award-winning, bestselling mystery fiction as themselves, J.J. Cook, and Ellie Grant. They have written and published more than 70 novels for Harlequin, Berkley, Amazon, and Gallery Books along with hundreds of non-fiction articles for national and regional publications. They live in rural North Carolina with their family.

GIVEAWAY
Ends 3/22/16
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Participants
March 8 – Back Porchervations – REVIEW, CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 9 – A. Holland Reads – INTERVIEW
March 10 – Shelley’s Book Case – REVIEW, GUEST POST
March 11 – Author Annette Drake’s Blog – INTERVIEW
March 12 – Brooke Blogs – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 13 – StoreyBook Reviews – SPOTLIGHT
March 14 – Book Babble – REVIEW
March 15 – Reviews by Martha’s Bookshelf – REVIEW
March 16 – I Read What You Write – REVIEW, INTERVIEW
March 17 – fundinmental – REVIEW
March 18 – Cozy Up With Kathy – CHARACTER GUEST POST
March 19 – Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book – SPOTLIGHT
March 20 – Deal Sharing Aunt – SPOTLIGHT
March 21 – fuonlyknew – REVIEW
March 22 – Community Bookstop – CHARACTER GUEST POST

Tuesday, February 23, 2016

Book Review and Feature: City of Gold by Carolyn Arnold

CITY OF GOLD large banner6402

This is an entertaining, action packed adventure with the plus of police procedure.
City of Gold (Matthew Connor Adventure Series Book 1)
by Carolyn Arnold

File Size: 585 KB
Print Length: 375 pages
Publisher: Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc. (November 27, 2015)
ASIN: B016LLDQIY
Genre: Mystery Thriller
My Rating: 4.25 of 5.0


Action-adventure books for the mystery lover. In this series, modern-day archaeologist and adventurer Matthew Connor travels the globe with his two closest friends to unearth treasure and discover legends the world has all but forgotten. Indiana Jones meets the twenty-first century.

Finding the Inca’s lost City of Gold would be the discovery of a lifetime. But failing could mean her death...

Archaeologist Matthew Connor and his friends Cal and Robyn are finally home after a dangerous retrieval expedition in India. While they succeeded in obtaining the priceless Pandu artifact they sought, it almost cost them their lives. Still, Matthew is ready for the next adventure. Yet when new intel surfaces indicating the possible location of the legendary City of Gold, Matthew is hesitant to embark on the quest.

Not only is the evidence questionable but it means looking for the lost city of Paititi far away from where other explorers have concentrated their efforts. As appealing as making the discovery would be, it’s just too risky. But when Cal’s girlfriend, Sophie, is abducted by Matthew’s old nemesis who is dead-set on acquiring the Pandu statue, Matthew may be forced into action. Saving Sophie’s life means either breaking into the Royal Ontario Museum to steal the relic or offering up something no one in his or her right mind can refuse--the City of Gold.

Now Matthew and his two closest friends have to find a city and a treasure that have been lost for centuries. And they only have seven days to do it. As they race against the clock, they quickly discover that the streets they seek aren’t actually paved with gold, but with blood.


Review:
I generally begin my reviews with a synopsis of the story. However, in this instance it would be repetitive of the blurb which covers the summary very nicely.  There are some interesting personal dynamics and conflicts that add to this adventure.

Only a handful of close friends - Robyn, Cal and a few others - know that Matthew is more than an archaeologist. He hides the truth from his father who is funding the adventures of the elusive Gideon Barnes and becoming increasingly annoyed that the hunter refuses to appear at the gala events celebrating his priceless finds.  Although I don't agree with Matthew's estrangement and immature attitude towards his father it makes some sense and adds a side conflict to the story 

Cal’s girlfriend, Sophie, is suddenly taken by someone who thinks they can trade her for an Indian statue that Matthew recovered. As Matthew bargains with Sophie's kidnapper he recognizes the hand of an old nemesis. Matthew cannot deliver the statue but he offers the lure of bigger treasure: the lost city of Paititi, or the City of Gold.

Matthew, Robyn and Cal rush off to Bolivia with two goons along to keep them honest and in hand. Matthew leads the team in the jungle like Indiana Jones, solving puzzles within tunnels and hopefully dodging deadly traps. Tensions are high and not everyone is careful enough to make it out of the jungle alive.

Meanwhile, back home, Sophie suffers the fears and trauma of being kidnapped. The greedy villain isn’t aware that Matthew has tasked the household butler (and treasure researcher), Daniel, with finding clues to locate Sophie from the proof of life videos. Also a bulldogged police detective is investigating the nice car found in a seedy part of town that leads him to a missing young woman who has connections to the mayor's son.

This is definitely akin to an Indian Jones story set in modern times. There is very fast paced action and danger in one scenario with some good investigative twists at the home front. The two lines of the story worked well to keep interest moving and to make the book more than just a fun, albeit deadly, treasure hunt. I appreciated the bits of police tactical details that were included to balance out the hi-jinks of the hunters.

The touchy relationship between Matthew and Robyn is another dynamic that added intrigue.  I wondered about their past history and I was rooting for them to pull together. Since this is the first in the series I imagine more may be shared about their relationship in books yet to come. I recommend this to readers who enjoy a fun thriller and mystery, topped with a touch of romance and a touch of family drama.

I received this title through Great Escape Virtual Tours for an honest review. It qualifies for C on my Alphabet Soup challenge and for TBR Triple Dog Dare.


City of Gold
(Matthew Connor Adventure Series Book 1)

Hardcover: 314 pages
Publisher: Hibbert & Stiles Publishing Inc (November 27, 2015)
ISBN-13: 978-1988064666
ASIN: B016LLDQIY
goodreads-badge-add-plus

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Carolyn Author Photo 2013 ColorCAROLYN ARNOLD is the international best-selling and award-winning author of the Madison Knight, Brandon Fisher, and McKinley Mystery series. She is the only author with POLICE PROCEDURALS RESPECTED BY LAW ENFORCEMENT.™
Carolyn was born in a small town, but that doesn’t keep her from dreaming big. And on par with her large dreams is her overactive imagination that conjures up killers and cases to solve. She currently lives in a city near Toronto with her husband and two beagles, Max and Chelsea. She is also a member of Crime Writers of Canada.

Connect with CAROLYN ARNOLD Online:

Website Twitter Facebook

And don’t forget to sign up for her newsletter for up-to-date information on release and special offers at http://carolynarnold.net/newsletters.

Purchase Links



Amazon US Amazon UK Amazon CA Amazon AU
Barnes & Noble Apple iBooks Kobo

Click HERE for a full list of Tour Participants and to find other reviews, author interview and excerpts.



Video on the painting for the cover:


(If you have any trouble viewing the video try the direct link to YouTube:

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Book Review and Giveaway: Tears Water the Seeds of Hope by Kim Tews

I dare you to try to read this book without tissues or a handkerchief.  (Giveaway at bottom of post}
Tears Water the Seeds of Hope
by Kim Tews

  • Paperback: 232 pages
  • Publisher: CrossHouse Publishing (September 6, 2012)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 161315027X
  • ISBN-13: 978-1613150276
The book will be featured in the October Issues of Christianity Today and Books and Culture.
Genrre: Memoir-Narrative Non-fiction
My Rating: 4.75 of 5.0

Book Description
Publication Date: September 6, 2012
Tears Water the Seeds of Hope is the inspiring true story of a Midwest husband and wife that become disenchanted with the relentless pursuit of the American Dream and embark on a journey that spans six countries and redefines their values and lives. The story begins in a small town in Wisconsin and weaves its way through South and Central America as the couple gathers an army of supporters and establishes an organization to save the lives of children in the end stages of starvation in eastern Guatemala. The narrative is filled with action-packed adventure and heartwarming victories as the characters face incredible odds and seemingly hopeless situations, while hundreds of volunteers join mission teams to offer help and hope through the programs of the ministry. Readers of all ages will enjoy the roller-coaster ride of emotions-from laughter to tears to sheer joy-as they realize that ordinary people can make a difference one life at a time.


Review:
This is a true story in which Kim Tews shares her journey from measuring success in the standards of materialism to acknowledging the priceless rewards of storing up treasures in heaven.

Kim and her husband were successful real estate agents with two children, the expensive house, cars and toys in Wisconsin. Kim and Randy took a vacation trip in 2000 to Mexico that started a new direction for their lives. Kim made a simple remark among friends that she would like to help poor people in the world. The next thing she and Randy find themselves going on a mission trip to Ecuador that changes their hearts and soon changes their priorities.

Kim shares the beauty and simplicity of the lifestyles and gentle nature of many of the Latin Americans even amid the poverty. Kim and Randy start by coping with places that have no indoor plumbing and hotels with creepy crawlies in the bedrooms. After numerous mission trips to Ecuador and Nicaragua they discover a new need to help children suffering severe starvation and malnutrition. Unlike some of the surrounding areas they learn there is no relief program in the Southeast mountain areas of Guatemala. Step by small step Kim and a dedicated and loving team of volunteers begin and develop a mission organization known as Outreach for World Hope.

The writing is more than a journal of the events that shaped the goals and transformation for Kim.  It is a rich, flowing picture of their personal journey. Kim is able to pull the reader into the setting to see and feel the deprivations of the people and the fear and heartache of parents who do not have even $25.00 to buy life saving medicine for their children. There are (seemingly) small gifts and acts of kindness that are not small to the recipients.  There is warmth and joy too. Although outside the focus of their ministry, Kim describes the miraculous and huge gifts of time and money from multiple doctors and a hospital that step in to save the life of a teenage girl who would die without expensive, painful and risky surgery.

There are many harrowing adventures from mudslides to getting lost in the mountains. There are also difficult challenges including parents who do not know how sick their children are and who fear the hospitals. Not to mention parents who abuse and neglect their children.  Kim openly shares times of doubt in God when she faces such poverty, neglect and conditions that are so difficult for those of us with plenty to understand. Ultimately she acknowledges that the beauty and miracle of seeing a child restored to health can only reaffirm the existence of God and the awesomeness of His creation even when we do not understand all of His ways.

There are some striking photos shared in the back of the book. (See this link to OWH website to see before and after pictures.) Sometimes we forget how greatly blessed we are. This is an awesome story of how one family can make a difference as they improve the lives of poor children while sharing the love of God.  I encourage everyone willing to have their heart touched to read this story, give thanks for your blessings and then share what and how you can.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The source of the book title:
...had God not brought us to this horrible scene of human suffering, He could not have convicted us to serve Him in this place. The tears we cried would soon water the seeds of hope that would change the future fo children like Elias. Page 59.
I received this wonderful book from the Author as part of a blog tour through Great Escape Book Tours. 

Amazon Page:  http://www.amazon.com/Tears-Water-Seeds-Hope-Tews/dp/1613150288/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1346857734&sr=1-1&keywords=kim+tews

Barnes and Noble Page: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tears-water-the-seeds-of-hope-kim-tews/1112117261?ean=9781613150276

Link to Outreach For World Hope (Author’s webpage): http://outreachforworldhope.org/

Link to Book Page on Author’s Site http://outreachforworldhope.org/Tears%20Water%20Book%20Link.htm

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/outreachforworldhope

Great Escape Book Tour – Tour Page For This Tour: http://www.escapewithdollycas.com/great-escapes-book-tours/tears-water-the-seeds-of-hope-tour/



About This Author
Kim Tews was raised in Madison, Wisconsin and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in Economics. She and husband, Randy, pursued careers in real estate before beginning mission work together in Ecuador, South America in 2001. In 2005 they established the 501 (c) 3 non-profit Outreach for World Hope to save the lives of starving children in eastern Guatemala. The couple lives in Verona, Wisconsin with their three children, traveling back and forth to Guatemala frequently to facilitate the ongoing programs of Outreach for World Hope.

Tears Water the Seeds of Hope
Chapter 1 - Wrecked for Life

The setting sun painted a backdrop of cotton candy pink clouds over the roadside bar and grill where we would soon hear our favorite acoustic guitar duo sing Jimmy Buffet songs. It was an idyllic Wisconsin summer night late in June of 2005. Under normal circumstances, I would have enjoyed the warm breeze and the glow of the festive colored tiki lights on the outdoor deck with the sense of carefree recreation that midwestern families enjoy when school is out and the days are longer. Randy shook his head, smiling as our two daughters took turns throwing harmless jabs at one another, each laughing hysterically at her own jokes. I felt as if I were watching the scene from a distance, fighting back tears as my mind returned to the children I had seen two days earlier in a squalid hospital in drought and famine-stricken eastern Guatemala—a scene that would change me forever and wreck me once and for all for the relentless pursuit of the American Dream. I was haunted by the forlorn faces of two children whose hopeless situation had laid the framework for the rest of my life.

The severely starved two-year-old boy was scarcely more than skin and bones. Hair was a luxury his body could not afford, as the nutrients available to him were barely enough to keep his vital organs functioning. His face was sunken and pale, the outline of his ribs and spine clearly visible through his thin layer of skin. He had been carried by his barefooted ten-year-old sister from El Volcancito, their remote mountain village several miles away, into the small town of Jocotan, in hopes that his life could be saved. The mother of the children was bedridden with a debilitating illness for which she could not afford treatment. My heart broke as much for the boy, barely hanging on and suffering miserably, as for the young girl, exhausted and saddled with the crushing responsibility of keeping her baby brother alive.

A frail little girl sat weeping on a tattered bench at the entrance to the facility, her body emaciated and her abdomen severely bloated, revealing the presence of parasites within her weak, trembling frame. She had been brought to the hospital for nutritional rehabilitation, and because she was four years old, and her mother had two smaller children to care for at home, she had been left alone. Lidia could not have understood why she had been left behind by her family in this unfamiliar place. She had been sitting on the bench since early morning waiting for them to return. In her hand she clutched what was probably her only toy, a comfort and reminder of home. The lump in my throat returned each time I recalled opening her tiny hand to find that she held a black plastic vulture.

Randy and I were married in May of 1993. During our early years together, we were blessed with two beautiful daughters and were pursuing careers in real estate, climbing the ranks among our colleagues in terms of sales volume. We purchased an enormous house on four acres, and although it was only four years old, we completely remodeled it to suit our tastes. With luxury vehicles and an ever-increasing income, we were living the American Dream. There was much to be thankful for, but something was missing.

Randy and I had both grown up near Madison, Wisconsin in middle class families, Randy’s Methodist and mine Catholic. We had attended Sunday services and believed in an all-powerful God, but faith and religion were not playing a major role in our adult lives. Having agreed as newlyweds to raise our family in faith, we dutifully attended services at a congregation near our home for seven years. But we eventually felt that we needed a change and in spring of 2000, we set out in search of a new church home. With no predetermined denomination in mind, we experienced a variety of church cultures, some too formal, some too weird, others seemingly insincere. We eventually stumbled across an Evangelical Free church on the west side of Madison, near our home in the suburb of Verona. I was surprised to find that instead of an organ and a choir, this church had a band that played upbeat contemporary Christian music on keyboards, guitars and drums. The young pastor spoke with passion, bringing the Bible to life by applying scripture to issues faced by the generations of the twenty-first century. It was at this church that our faith came alive.

Our new understanding of the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ and the resulting sense of love and gratitude we felt toward God, inevitably began to pose problems for us. We were embarrassed to invite our new Christian friends to our supersized home, and conflicts began to surface in our hearts about how our time and money were being spent. One of the many bedrooms in our home had been turned into my personal closet and was loaded with clothing and shoes, most of which I did not need. I had become so busy in my career as a Realtor that I began to feel like a gerbil on a wheel. My twelve-hour workdays did not leave room for the peace and joy I had heard should come with our newly authenticated Christian faith. One frantically busy day I decided to return phone calls while waiting in line for lunch at the McDonald’s drive through. When a voice came over the speaker saying, “Can I help you?”

I was so preoccupied that I mistook it for a phone call and said, “Hello, this is Kim Tews with the Tews Team Realtors”.

During the awkward silence that followed the kid must have been thinking, “Yeah, who cares? What do you want for lunch?”

That night I arrived home from work late in the evening to find our three-year-old daughter asleep on the couch clinging to a shirt I had worn the day before. When I asked Randy about the shirt he explained, “She said it smells like you, and she misses you.”

It was time for a change.

********************
Thank you to Kim and Great Escape Book Tours for providing a book for Giveaway!
TO ENTER THIS GIVEAWAY for a Print Copy for US or Canadian winner 

* This contest is only open to US and Canada.
* This contest will close 10 PM (Central) on October 19, 2012.
The winner will be randomly selected from all entries.
WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED on October 20, 2012.
Winners will have 72 hours to respond by email or the winners form linked in the announcement.  

CymLowell

LinkWithin

Related Posts with Thumbnails